Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium was two-thirds full for the Catalan derby between Espanyol and Barca when Lionel Messi made his debut a decade ago today.
The old stadium atop the hill of Montjuic was Espanyol’s home from 1993 to 2008. Their fans never did warm to playing in a stadium with an athletics track; only 34,000 attended their biggest game of the season.
Watchers of Barca’s junior and reserve teams already knew they had a potentially great player in their ranks, but every big club has a potentially great player in their ranks. Unlike the rest, though, Messi would become a great player, arguably the best the world has seen.
Barca were not a stable club a decade ago, though under the recently elected president, Joan Laporta, they saw an improvement in fortunes on and off the field.
Ronaldinho was the star, while Messi was slowly introduced into the first-team fold. He played a friendly game in Oporto in 2003.
“I was Messi’s captain when he made his debut in a friendly versus Portugal,” Barcelona manager Luis Enrique said.
“He was 16. He jumped categories. It’s not normal that a player does that, but it was right for him and Guardiola was right for him.
“Under Guardiola, Messi’s perception of the game really improved, his vision of the game improved.”
Guardiola became the manager in 2008. In October 2004, Dutch coach Frank Rijkaard was at the helm. While his team were champions, they were injury hit for the derby against Espanyol.
The B team, where Messi usually played, would have to do without him (they still won 3-1 away at Gramanet) as Rijkaard called up reserve players Damia (now at Middlesbrough), Ruben (now at Mallorca), Hidalgo (now in India), Pena (Valladolid) and Navarro (Sevilla) to the bench, along with Messi.
Deco scored the only goal of the derby after nine minutes and he was replaced by Messi, who was 17 years and three months of age, eight minutes from time.
It was insufficient time for the No 30 to be judged properly, but he saw plenty of action in a kit that appeared two sizes too big for him.
The Argentine played on the right of the forward three, his usual position for the first five seasons at Barca.
He gave the shirt to his mother, who had watched the game at home in Rosario, Argentina. The family had moved to Barcelona four years earlier but travelled back and forth.
They still do, though Messi and wife Antonella, plus their son Thiago, live just south of Barcelona by the beach.
Messi was shy, timid and hid behind a heavy fringe, though Ronaldinho took him under his wing and made him feel welcome in the dressing room.
Messi saw just 77 minutes of first-team action that season, though he did score his first goal towards the end of the season.
In the decade since, he has scored 361 times for Barca in 434 games, breaking the club record. Debate rages about whether he is the game’s greatest or whether Pele, Di Stefano, Johann Cruyff or Maradona deserve that subjective accolade.
But Messi is Barcelona’s greatest. In 2012, Messi overtook Cesar as the top scorer in Barca history. With 249 league goals, he is only two behind Telmo Zarra, the leading scorer in the history of Primera Liga – and he is only 27.
Messi has won 21 trophies in a Barcelona shirt, including three European Cups, six ligas and two world club championships.
He has also won four Ballons d’Or, three Pichichi awards for being the top scorer in Spain and numerous other individual honours. A Messi statue will be erected outside Camp Nou when it is redeveloped later this decade.
All that is missing is the World Cup and Copa America with Argentina. The shyness is not completely gone and he can go six months at a time without speaking to Barcelona’s official media channels. But he is far more comfortable in front of the cameras as he matures.
With injury and the disappointment of losing the World Cup final, 2014 has not been Messi’s best year, but he is enjoying fine form under his new coach.
“The trouble is that we’ve seen so much of Messi that we think he’s normal,” Enrique said. “I still can’t understand how a player has got to that level.”
He has been at that level for 10 years.
sports@thenational.ae
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
Poacher
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Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Breast cancer in men: the facts
1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.
2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash.
3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible.
4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key.
5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor
Kanye%20West
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Blah
Started: 2018
Founder: Aliyah Al Abbar and Hend Al Marri
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and talent management
Initial investment: Dh20,000
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 40
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.